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Monthly Archives: December 2013

The old year 2013 passes away and the New Year 2014 arrives by 2400/0000 hours tonight. Whatever was in 2013 is the past. Now we are thinking about the future, the new year 2014.

What are the priorities for the year 2014 for us?
1. BSNL has to survive, strengthen and provide a better service to the people:
BSNL was the biggest Telecom service provider in India when it was formed in 2000. It was growing well till the government withdrew from its commitments on financial viability and got cancelled the tenders on mobile equipment in 2007. The non-purchase of other equipment worsened the situation. For the last 4 years, BSNL is in loss.
The main target for the year for the BSNL Employees and the BSNL Management is to improve the financial position of the organisation and a better service to be provided to the customers.
The Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations has already given a road map for the same through its Declaration adopted in the National Convention on Revival of BSNL held on 3rd August 2013.
The workers have to implement their role in the matter and pressurise the Management and the government to implement the tasks assigned to them. The pressure include discussion, negotiation and sustained agitation when it becomes necessary and unavoidable.
The BSNL Employees, whether executive or non-executive, have a special task. On their own, they have to improve their work-culture, have to treat the customers in the most excellent way and enhance the reputation of BSNL.

2. The settlement of long pending issues of the employees:
There are certain very important issues of the employees pending for some time. These include the issues of the BSNL appointed employees, pay stagnation of low-paid employees, next wage revision, more opportunity for promotions etc. in the new year 2014 these issues should be settled/advanced.

3. The injustice to the BSNL Casual and Contract workers should be put an end to and their justified demands settled:
There re about one lakh casual/contract workers engaged in BSNL for years together.They are inhumanly exploited mostly. The issue of regularisation of the 3,500 casual workers, payment of minimum wages as per labour ministry/BSNL C.O. orders, implementation of social security measures like EPF/ESI etc. has got to be settled in this new year. If necessary sustained agitation should be organised with the full support and participation of BSNLEU.

4. The problems of the BSNL-DOT Pensioners like 78.2% IDA, Medical claims etc. should be settled.

5. Strengthening and revitalising BSNLEU/BSNLCCWF/AIBDPA:
All the three organisations are part of the vital BSNL employees movement. All effort to be made to form BSNLCCWF and AIBDPA in all the circles and membership increased.In the same way the membership of BSNLEU also to be increased.

6. BSNLEU should be active in the CPSTU Movement and be a frontliner on the issues of the PSUs and the workers.

7. Maximum and systematic efforts to be made to educate the workers and make them part of the progressive movement of the nation and the world for a change to the better.

There are many other tasks which can be pointed out. Let us start with the above first, others will follow.

Unity for Struggle! Struggle for Unity! Unity and Struggle for Progress!
Make Impossible in to Possible!
Workers of the World Unite!

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In the eve of the New Year 2014, my Best Wishes and Warm Greetings to all our comrades, friends and well wishers for a very Happy and active New Year!
Let us make the New Year 2014 a fruitful year for the workers and the common people!

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Senior CPM(I) leader and three times minister in the W.Bengal government, Com. Sailen Sarkar passed away today, 31st December 2013, at his home in Malda. He was ailing for some time. He was 72.
I express my heartfelt grief and condolences to the party and family members!

Three senior leaders of BSNLEU are retiring today, 31st December 2013, from service on superannuation after, meritorious service of more than three and half decades. They are Com. P.Abhimanyu, General Secretary, R.L.Moudgil, AGS and Com. P.C.Kandpal, CS Uttarakhand.
All these three leaders have been in the forefront of the union activities for a very long period, strengthened the organisation, sacrificed themselves for the cause of the workers and are still in top positions in BSNLEU. They are the leading lights of the movement.

I wish all these three comrades a very Happy Family Life as also very active leadership role in the days to come, not only in BSNLEU but also in the movement of the toiling masses and the common people!

Red Salute Comrades, on this day when you retire from the service on superannuation!

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A well attended meeting of BSNLEU was held at Telephone Exchange premises,Salem on 30th December 2013. The meeting was presided over by Com. Tamil Mani,President of the District Union. Comrade E.Gopal, District Secretary, BSNLEU,welcomed all. Coms. V.Narayanasamy, Asst. Circle secretry, BSNLEU, Com.Alagiri, District Secretary, Dharmapuri, Com. Baskar, District Secretary, BSNLCCWF, Com. P.Krishnamurthy, District Secretary TEPU, Com. Madusamy District President SEWA BSNL and other leaders addressed. Com. P.Ramasamy, senior leader of the P and T TU movement was present on the dais.
The meeting was held at short notice to utilise the opportunity of the family visit of Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, President, BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF at Yercaud, near Salem. Com. VAN, before his speech, inaugurated the website, bsnleusalem@blogspot.in, of the District Union in the Union office. Com. VAN was given a hearty welcome by the house. The District Union handed over Rs.15,000 to Com.Namboodiri towards Donation to KG Bose Bhawan Fund.
Com. Namboodiri paid homage to the memory of the recently departed senior BSNLEU leaders Com. S.R.Nayak, Circle Secretary, MP Circle, T.S.Rajan, former Dy. General Secretary and Circle Secretary T.Nadu of T.III Union and Com. D.Purkayastha, AGS of BSNLEU. Since the time was short, he answered the questions raised and clarifications sought for by the participants with regard to stagnation of pay of RMs, wage deduction of post-2007 recruitees, the retirement benefits of BSNL recruited employees, 78.2% for pensioners, modifications to NEPP, declaration of results of JTO in T.Nadu Circle, next wage revision and many other points and the action taken by BSNLEU to settle the issues.
He explained in detail about the issues of the casual and contract workers and the action taken by the BSNLEU and BSNLCCWF. It was reported by the District Secretaries that the minimum wage on the basis of the unskilled, semiskilled, skilled etc. are not being paid. President assured that this will be taken up with the management.
The problems of the Pensioners and the need to fight against the anti-worker PFRDA Act were explained.
The urgent need to strengthen BSNL and to provide a better service to the Nation and the efforts made by BSNLEU and the Forum of BSNL Unions/Associations in this connection was pointed out. He congratulated the management and workers for making the Salem district a profitable one. He thanked the workers and leaders of Salem for the hearty reception. Com. M. Narayanasamy, gave a brief account of the speech in Tamil.

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The Central Government proposes to revise the rates for the medical treatment, tests etc.under the Central Government Health Scheme(CGHS). The CG employees and their organisations have been complaining that many empanelled hospitals themselves have not been accepting the CGHS rates and employees were compelled to pay extra charges.
According to the new proposals tender will be called for the rates from medical institutions and instead of the lowest rates, the average will be taken in to consideration. It is also proposed to pay 70 per cent of the charges within 7 days and the rest will be paid after verification.
Of course, the central government wants to show that is employee friendly in the general election year.

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Comrade Kali Ghosh, veteran CITU leader, who passed away today, 28th December 2013, morning was cremated in the evening. His body was laid at both the CPI(M) and CITU office, Kolkata for the people to pay homage.All India and state leaders of CPI(M), CITU and other parties and trade unions paid homage.
Comrades of BSNLEU, AIBDPA and BSNLCCWF led by Coms. Animesh Mitra, Saibal Sen Gupta, Biplab Das, Mihir Dasgupta, Swastika Dasgupta, Tapos Banerjee and other comrades paid respectful homage to the departed leader on behalf of the respective organisations at the CITU office. Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri called the family of Com. Kali Ghosh and conveyed deep grief and condolence.
Red Salute to Com. Kali Ghosh!

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Com. T.S.Rajan, the veteran P&T TU leader is no more. He passed away in the early morning, today, 28th December 2013 at Mumbai. His body has been donated to the MGM Hospital by his sons, as wished by Com.TSR. The handing over was complete by about 1800 Hours. BSNLEU comrades from CTO Mumbai,Telecom Factory and other comrades went and paid respectful homage to Com. TSR.

I spoke to Seshan and Gopal, sons of Com. Rajan, who are both at Mumbai, and conveyed my deep grief and condolences. I also told the great role played by their father for the P&T workers and their organisation. A veteran leader has left us. But his contribution will always be remembered by the P and T, BSNL workers and Pensioners.

Red Salute to Comrade T.S.Rajan!

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Arvind Kejrival, leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has taken charge as Chief Minister Delhi along with other 5 ministers.
My Best Wishes to the new government for solving the many problems of Delhi and the people of Delhi as elaborated in AAP Manifesto.